The Replacement Bride
by lady tecuma
Summary: VahnNoa. Noa goes into Saryu's castle and is caught in the nightmare hidden in its depths, while Vahn and Gala hurry to save her. [UPDATE: Chapters 1 and 2 have been modified, and Chapter 3 will soon be posted.]
1. Realization of Emotions

**AN: **Ohh, I've been meaning to get back to this story for a long time, but just haven't been able to. But now I've got a little time, I'm replaying Legend of Legaia, and I can finally finish this fic. The first two chapters will also be revamped to allow for the new story layout changes keeps installing, and for any previous errors that made it through spellcheck and grammer check.

* * *

**The Replacement Bride**

**Chapter One: Realization of Emotions**

"Jeez! What's wrong with him?" Noa fumed as she, Vahn, and Gala walked down the steps of Saryu's castle.

_It is more than likely that the influence of that Seru he has on._ Terra said.

"But we banished the Mist! Shouldn't have Saryu been released from it's clutches when the Mist vanished?" Gala asked.

_Something is not right here. _Meta spoke. _There are too many questions and too little answers. _

_Let's go back to the town. Maybe we can find some answers there_. Ozma suggested. The trio passed through the gates, back into the city proper. As they started to walk away, a young woman approached them.

"Excuse me…are you the people who drove back the Mist?" Vahn nodded.

"Yes we are."

"How could you!" This completely floored the three teens, and all they could do was stare at the woman.

"Huh?"

"Why did you get rid of the Mist! We were so happy, and now you've ruined it for us!" Crying, the woman ran away, leaving behind three very puzzled humans and Ra-Seru looking after her.

"Why did we get rid of the Mist?" Gala echoed.

"What's wrong with her?" Noa wondered.

_That's the first time somebody actually **wanted** to stay inside the Mist. _Meta said, speaking for all of them.

"Let's walk around. Maybe we can find out some more information." Vahn said.

* * *

Ratayu was a very calm and peaceful place. Normally, Vahn would have allowed himself to relax, as the trip through the Sebuccus Islands had been rough, and all of them could use a breather. Instead… 

"Vahn, that's the third person who's been talking about the Seru brides!" Noa said as they left a house. "What do you think it means?"

"I don't know." Vahn replied. His eyes rested thoughtfully on the red-haired girl. She certainly didn't act like it, but Noa had matured quite a bit from when they had first met at Mt. Rikuroa up until to now. Behind those green eyes intelligence burned, clear and steady as a flame.

_It's just that she's never been around people long enough…and traveling with us, fighting all the time…How does she really feel about all of this? About Meta, Terra, Ozma, Gala…and me? How does she feel about me?_

"VAHN!"

"Whoa!" The older boy jumped and stumbled forward, promptly falling flat on his face in a flower bed.

"Oww…"

"You ok?" Noa asked, helping him up. "C'mon, it's almost time to meet Gala at the inn!" She ran off, red hair waving like a banner behind her.

_You have feelings for her. _Meta stated. Vahn blushed, and quickly shook his head.

"No I don't! It's just friendly concern, that's all!" The blue-haired youth said, hurrying after Noa. The Fire Ra-Seru smiled silently to himself.

_Oh, he'll figure it out sooner or later…

* * *

_

Gala met the duo at the entrance to the Inn.

"Find anything?"

"There's a house down the street that had all three of their daughters taken up to the castle to be Seru brides." Vahn said, his tone grave.

_It seems like whenever any young woman reaches the age to marry here, they're whisked off to Saryu before you can even say Happy Birthday. _Terra commented.

"I'm afraid it may be more serious than that." Gala said, crossing his arms.

_We heard that the evil Sim-Seru Juggernaut may be here. _Ozma added.

"**Juggernaut?" **Vahn, Meta, and Terra all said at the same time. The evil Sim-Seru was legendary, and also very dangerous. In fact, Vahn had been the only one out of the trio so far to actually _see _the monster, it having attacked Rim Elm prior to the blue-haired teen meeting Meta for the first time.

"But isn't that a bad thing?" Noa asked, raising a hand to her mouth.

"Yes, and it gets worse. Some people believe that the young women taken from the town are being used to provide energy for Juggernaut. Somebody else also mentioned seeing him rise from the castle one night." Gala finished.

"We need to find out what Saryu is up to, not to mention we need that key for the western gate! The Mist Generator has got to be behind there!" Noa said. Vahn nodded and pushed open the door.

"Let's get some rest and…" He fell silent. Wondering what had happened to their friend, Noa and Gala followed behind. A boy standing behind the counter looked up as the Ra-Seru bearers came in.

"What's going on?" Gala asked.

"My sister Eliza's been chosen to be a Seru bride." The boy pointed at a girl, no older than Vahn, dressed in a dark purple gown with a veil covering her hair.

"If she goes up to the castle, we'll never see her again." A man, possibly the father, said mournfully from the corner. Vahn's gaze was torn away from the sad scene to Noa tugging on his shirt.

"Noa, what?"

"Look at this!" She said, holding up a note. "I found this on that desk over there. It said something about Saryu and the Seru brides when I glanced at it!" Gala took the note and read through it quickly.

"The guards are coming for her tonight." He said, looking up from the paper.

"We have to do something!" Noa whispered. Her gaze landed on the girl in the corner. "Hey, maybe that's her!"

"Noa, no!" Gala hissed, but Noa had already made her way over to the girl. Sighing, Gala shrugged while a smile played over Vahn's face.

"Oh well..." He said. The two followed Noa over to where she was standing. Eliza looked up as the three friends approached her.

"Are…are…are you the Ra-Seru heroes?"

"Yes we are." Noa replied.

"I…I have a favor to ask of you. As you already know...I've been chosen to be a Seru bride. I don't want to go…but all my friends are up at the castle, so…" She looked down at the ground, and then back up again. "Could you just…please check in on my parents…once in a while…when I'm gone?"

_This isn't right… _Noa thought as Eliza explained her situation to Vahn and Gala. _This has to be stopped! But how?_ Her eyes widened as an idea hit her.

"Wait!" Eliza, Gala, and Vahn suddenly turned to face Noa. "That's it!"

"What is?" Vahn asked.

"A way to find out what Saryu's up to! I'll take Eliza's place as the Seru bride!"

"**What**?" The blue-haired teen gasped. Noa continued.

"If I take Eliza's place, then she doesn't have to go and leave her family behind! I have Terra with me, so I'll be alright!"

"It sounds crazy, but it just might work." Gala said, a thoughtful look crossing his face. Vahn looked at Noa.

"It's too dangerous! You don't know what Saryu has in that castle; let alone what would happen if you were discovered!" He said. Only Meta, Ozma, and Gala caught the underlying fear in his voice.

"But Vahn, if I don't do this, Eliza'll _die_! It's better for me to go because I have a higher chance of staying alive! And it's the only way to get to Saryu again!" Noa bit back, anger in her eyes. Then she straightened, voice gentling. "I'll be okay Vahn, I promise." The boy looked at Noa, releasing a heavy sigh.

"Alright, then." Noa turned to Eliza.

"Just give me several minutes, and I'll be right back!" The red-haired girl hurried out of the Inn. Gala went over to question the Innkeeper and his wife, leaving Vahn alone. The teen leaned against the wall, head bowed.

_You don't want her to go. _

_"_It's too dangerous for her."

_That's not the only reason, and you know it. _

"…" Noa came back in.

"Ready!" Eliza walked up to the trio.

"Is…is it okay if Noa does this?" Vahn pushed himself off the wall and forced his eyes to meet Eliza's own, which held a restrained glimmer of hope.

"Yes, it is." At this, Eliza blinked, and tears ran down her face.

"Bless you! Bless you all!" Noa wiped away Eliza's tears, and lead her into a room where Eliza could change out of her wedding dress.

* * *

Night fell, and the lamps in the Inn were turned on. Noa stood in the corner, clad in the dark purple gown, the sleeves adjusted so as to hide Terra, her hair pinned up and hidden underneath the veil. Terra, for the most part, was more silent than usual, knowing that if this plan was to work, she could not reveal her presence. If something were to happen to Noa and her however, Meta, Vahn, Ozma and Gala would be at the gates, waiting for her signal. Vahn looked over at Noa. 

_I don't want her to do this…what if something happens to her?_

_Vahn, what's wrong?_

_Nothing._

A sudden** BANG** had everyone's heads snapping up.

"We're here for the Seru bride! Open the door, don't disobey!" The door was forced open, and two soldiers dressed in the navy-blue armor of Saryu's guards and wielding crossbows for weapons, strode into the room.

"Eliza, we are here for you under the orders of Lord Saryu!" Silently, Noa walked out from her position near the wall. Eyes set forward; she started to follow the first solider out of the room.

"No!" The softly uttered word betraying how he felt, Vahn started to move forward, only to be blocked by Gala's arm. The second solider looked around to make sure that he wasn't being followed, and then followed his counterpart and Noa out of the Inn. Silence reigned for several minutes, and then was broken as the large cabinet doors opened, and Eliza came out of her hiding place.

"What have I done?" She cried, turning to face Vahn and Gala, hands clasped together, and her eyes full of fear. "I let Noa take my place!"


	2. Danger's Arms

**Chapter Two: Danger's Arms**

Noa looked around as she walked through Ratayu, accompanied by Saryu's guards.

_It's so different at night….not even any crickets are chirping. It's almost like any living creature is afraid to come out for fear that something will happen to them_. She thought, her steps slowing.

"Move it!" The solider behind her barked, shoving her. "Do not keep Saryu waiting!"

"Alright, already!" Noa quickened her pace, glancing behind her only once.

_I hope Vahn and Gala were able to follow me_…

* * *

Vahn curled his right hand into a fist, anger gleaming in his brown eyes. 

_Easy, Vahn_. Meta soothed. _They're not doing anything to harm her_.

"It looks like they're heading back to the palace." Gala said, watching Noa and the guards walk away. The two friends stayed in the shadows, trailing not too far behind.

Meanwhile, Noa and the guards had passed through the castle gates, and into the main hall. But instead of heading up to the throne room instead, the red-haired girl was led through the set of doors that had been previously blocked off when she and her friends had been in the castle earlier, and down a secret passageway deep into the heart of the castle.

_What the…where are we going_? Nervously,Noa looked around as they advanced deeper, the fingers of her right hand tracing the armor-like covering that was Terra's body on her left hand. With each Genesis Tree that was revived, the armor left her hand bit by bit, and was starting to travel up her arm. Noa didn't mind it though, as it gave her a extra weapon to use in a fight if things got sticky.

_Although that looks like what I'm gonna have to do if I want to get out of here alive_… They started to walk down a stone pathway. _Now what_? At various intervals on either side of the path, several glass tubes were set up. As they passed by the first, Noa was stunned to see that there was a **woman** trapped inside!

"Please…help…me…I'm…so cold…" Terror tempered with anger raced through Noa as she heard the weak cry. Growling, she crouched in an attack position, ready to charge the guards. However, the soldiers aimed their crossbows at her, forcing Noa to break off her attack. Sighing, the girl gave up, hissing in pain as one of them struck her on the skull as they advanced.

* * *

Vahn tried the doors. 

"Locked."

"Relax, it shouldn't be a problem to break through." Gala said, cracking his knuckles. He looked at his Ra-Seru. "Ozma, can you sense anything?"

_No_. The Ra-Seru answered. _Do not worry. Terra will let us know the second anything happens_.

* * *

Terra could feel Noa's fear grow as the two walked towards some sort of landing with two consoles on set up on either side, facing Juggernaut, who was resting in some sort of liquid. Silent rage coursed through the Ra-Seru, angered at not being able to assage her young bearer's fear. 

"Here!" The harsh voice of one of the soliders jolted Noa out of her thoughts. "Stay here and wait for Saryu!" Noa watched as the two guards left, and took a quick glance at her new surroundings. Two…_creatures_, Noa wasn't even sure that they were human, watched the consoles, and another girl dressed in the same style as Noa stood at the edge of the landing.

"Hey! You alright?" Noa quickly hurried over to the other girl. "Are you ok?"

"…Who are you? I…I can't see...anything..." The girl responded. To Noa's horror, her eyes were glazed over, her flesh stone cold to the touch and as hard as marble.

"Can't you see me? I'm right in front of you!" The two creatures, who had been silent for the whole time, turned as Noa tried to speak to the girl.

"Heh heh heh…she cannot hear you…"

"Wait your turn! You'll be joining her soon enough!"

"Please, stop what you're doing!" Noa begged. As she pleaded with Saryu's lackeys, a long tube extended from Juggernaut. Hovering over the helpless girl, it slowly sucked her up into its maw before retreating back.

"What the…where did that woman go?" The red-hairedgirldemanded.

"Heh heh heh…you're next…" The second lackey said. The first fixed Noa with a piercing stare from its black beady eyes.

"Ah, look at this one! So young and full of energy! You will make a tasty morsel for Juggernaut, I'm sure!"

"Enjoy the time you have left! Soon you won't be able to walk!" The second added. Bile rose up in Noa's throat as she grasped the horror of her situation.

_Get out of here. Go, go, go, **GO**_! A voice screamed inside her head. Shaking off her paralysis, Noa turned her back on the nightmarish scene and started to run back up the walkway, pressing a hand to her mouth.

_I'll go to the main hall…get Vahn and Gala_… Then she stopped cold as Saryu's voice rang throughout the underground labyrinth.

"The bride of Seru was waiting, so I came." The lord of Ratayu approached the teen, the two guards who had escorted Noa to the hidden laboratory on either side of him.

"It is far better to be Juggernaut's flesh and blood than to live your own worthless life. Now silence!" Rage boiled up in Noa, displacing her fear.

"Saryu, what you've done is unforgivable!" Not caring about her cover anymore, Noa lunged at the man, intending to attack. At the same time, the two soldiers stepped in front of Saryu, aimed their crossbows, and shocked the girl with electrical blasts from their weapons. Noa took the full force of the attack, and was sent spinning around, landing face first towards the landing. Her entire body was numb, and she couldn't move.

_No…I can't die like this_! As if he had read her mind, Saryu stood over the girl.

"The brides are not dead. Their vigorous bodies live. Now connect them to the machine." Terra panicked as she felt her connection to Noa dissolve away.

_Noa_!

_Vahn…you were right…I'm so sorry_… Was Noa's last thought before she fell into darkness. The Ra-Seru tried to reestablish the mental link between the two, but to no avail.

_Noa? Noa_! Terror ripped through the Ra-Seru, it's icy claws sinking into her as she was met with silence. _**META**_!

* * *

Gala watched impassively as Vahn paced back and forth in front of the castle gates. 

_He's really worried about her. _Ozma commented.

_I'm starting to have my doubts about this plan myself now_. Gala added. Meanwhile, Meta was doing his best to allay the fears of his bearer.

_I've known Terra for a long time, and Noa's like her own flesh and blood. She'll be alright_. Vahn didn't say anything at this, just stopped pacing and sat down, his eyes fixed on the gate. Meta sighed.

_Stubborn boy…I'm worried to death about Noa and Terra too! Especially more so for Terra…only I'm not letting it show! If he knew that I had my doubts about this plan, it would only cause him to worry more_. Vahn sensed the fire Ra-Seru withdrawing from him.

_Meta, wait. I'm…_

_**META**! _Terra's sudden scream tore through both the Ra-Seru and the teen's minds, causing Vahn to fall to his knees and clutch his head in pain.

"Aggghhh!"

_Terra! Terra, what's wrong?_ Ozma cried as Gala helped the blue haired boy to his feet.

_Noa…they've…Oh Relm, they've got Noa! Saryu…and Juggernaut_! The Wind Ra-Seru was in a panic, her fear coming clearly down the links to the other two Ra-Serus and their bearers. _Please, hurry! I can't get through to her_!

"Get back." Vahn said to Gala. Flames sparked around Meta as Vahn aimed a powerful fire attack at the gate, melting the metal hinges and weakening the wood greatly. One powerful kick from the fire Ra-Seru's bearer and the gates were open, leaning dangerously to the sides.

_Noa…hang on, we're coming_! The two friends raced up the staircase, praying that they weren't too late.


End file.
